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Three Phils in top five in NL All-Star voting

Three Phils in top five in NL All-Star voting

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By Todd Zolecki
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MLB.com |

NEW YORK -- The Phillies have three players in the top five in the first National League All-Star voting update.

The All-Star Game is July 14 in St. Louis.

Chase Utley, who has made three consecutive All-Star Games, leads all NL second basemen, with 675,596 votes. He is hitting .297 with 11 home runs and 31 RBIs. Ryan Howard, who is from St. Louis, is hitting .256 with 10 homers and 30 RBIs. He is third among first basemen, with 294,830 votes. And shortstop Jimmy Rollins, who is hitting .233 with three homers and 17 RBIs, is third among shortstops, with 321,098.

But perhaps the most deserving Phillies player -- left fielder Raul Ibanez -- ranks sixth among National League outfielders, with center fielder Shane Victorino in 10th place and right fielder Jayson Werth in 12th place.

Ibanez is hitting .352 with a Major League-leading 17 home runs and 43 RBIs. He has hit safely in 35 of 42 games this season.

Fans can cast their votes for starters up to 25 times with the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Online Ballot at MLB.com and all 30 club sites until July 2 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Starting rosters will be announced during the 2009 All-Star Game Selection Show presented by Chevrolet on TBS on July 5. Baseball fans around the world will then be able to select the final player on each team via the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote at MLB.com.

And the voting doesn't end there. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet at the Midsummer Classic via the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint MVP Vote at MLB.com.

The All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX and around the world by Major League Baseball International. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio play-by-play, while MLB.com will offer extensive online coverage.

Todd Zolecki is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.